‘The Purge’ sequel goes into development at Universal

The violent home-invasion thriller surprised Hollywood by scaring up a $34 million debut last weekend, on a budget of just $3 million.

So it should come as no surprise that producer Jason Blum and Universal have already announced that a sequel is in development.

Ethan Hawke and “Game of Thrones” star Lena Headey star in the film, which depicts a futuristic city where violent crime is curtailed by giving citizens one annual night of free rein without any cops, firefighters or emergency services. For 12 hours a year, it’s every person for themself.

There’s no word on whether writer-director James DeMonaco will return to helm the sequel, or if any of the original characters will return, according to The Hollywood Reporter. However, the premise could easily serve as the backdrop for any number of similar story lines.